The Cap
by Lunedd
Summary: A Teen'Verse story. So teenagers Steve, Danny, Wo Fat and the Hesse Brothers are sent on a hike. What could possibly go wrong? Well... obviously - everything! Hurt!Steve, Hurt!Danny. Further information inside.


_**A/N:**_ I think watching Varsity Blues once again made me think about an AU where our boys are teenagers. So this idea formed in my head... and visiting the beautiful Paklenica National Park in Croatia triggered this story even further. The biggest part of it actually was written late at night on my smartphone in the small apartment in Zadar, Croatia.

Yes, I also had to think of the season 1 episode 20, but the similarities are, as you will read, minimal.

Some basic information:

\- The story is set in the early 90s

\- The boys are around 15 years old

\- Doris McGarrett has died in a car accident almost a year ago (that's what everyone believes at least)

Since I'm no medical expert and know Hawaii only from the www, please be lenient with me.

The McGarrett mantra is from "The Rebel Opposition", a Star Wars X-Wing Rogue Squadron comic. I just couldn't resist since it seemed so fitting… Besides, I love Wes Janson!

The story is beta'd by the wonderful SailorJP. It is good to have someone look over the story and eradicate illogicalities and spelling/grammar errors. All remaining mistakes are mine, not hers. Thank you so much for your help!

And of course I'm just using the playground called H50 that CBS has provided us with. None of it is mine, and I certainly have no commercial benefit whatsoever.

* * *

 _ **On the trail to the cabin, Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve**_

This was the worst idea Mr. Tanaka, the school's counselor, had ever had, 15-year-old Steve McGarrett mused annoyed as he followed the Hesse brothers and Wo Fat through the thick undergrowth. Danny Williams was trailing several steps behind and - with his shorter legs - doubtlessly stumbled over every root that grew in this jungle and kept on swearing softly. In the beginning, Steve had been amused by the fanciful words Danny used; but after something over two hours later with the constant stream of curses from behind he was now at a point where he had to restrain himself to not turn around and duct-tape Danny's mouth shut.

Again: it was the worst idea Mr. Tanaka ever had. _Ever_.

The counselor had been worried about the amount of bullying Danny received constantly by the Hesse brothers, Anton and Victor. He was the new kid whose family had moved to Hawaii only a few months ago in the middle of the school year due to a job offer his father, a firefighter, couldn't refuse. And at the same time Lou Grover, the football team's coach, had asked for Tanaka's help regarding the sudden feud between former best friends Steve McGarrett and Wo Fat, his best players. Their hostility towards one another disturbed the team spirit, Grover had explained, and so Tanaka had the idea of sending all five boys out for a hiking trip. This way, he could kill two birds with one stone: first, it would help Danny, the city boy, to get accustomed to the new surroundings he was now living in; second, by being responsible and dependent on each other all five boys might learn to acknowledge the other boys' strengths and weaknesses and especially learn how to get along. Yes, Mr. Tanaka had looked really pleased with his suggestion that had been less a suggestion and more like an order.

Their parents - respectively the Williamses and John McGarrett, Steve's father - had agreed with enthusiasm. Mr. Hesse, the local salvage yard owner, a balding, giant man with hands as big as shovels, had simply nodded and Steve knew by the look he had sent his sons that they better do what the counselor proposed, because otherwise he would take the disciplining into his own hands. And that meant black eyes and bruises for Anton and Victor. Wo Fat's father had sent an email with his approval, once again far away on a business trip somewhere in Southeast Asia.

And so here they were, walking to the place John McGarrett had recommended as a good campsite. A cabin was waiting for tired hikers on a spacious clearing at the end of several trails that led through a beautiful part of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve. The boys should walk without supervision and spend the first night alone in the cabin, to be joined by Counselor Tanaka the next day. It was still early in the year; tourist season had not begun yet, so they most likely would not meet many, if any, people on the way to the campsite, and the cabin was free for them.

Wo Fat had volunteered to lead the group although Steve was not so sure Wo Fat really had chosen the easiest and shortest way as he had promised before to Mr. Tanaka and their parents. Steve had been hiking here some time ago, too, with his father, back when his mother had still been alive. He was about to say something like that to Wo Fat, but then he heard Danny swearing again and he decided to stay silent, too annoyed by the smaller boy's behavior. Why did Danny always have to question everything, let alone comment on things that definitely didn't need to be commented on? Why couldn't he just accept a situation and back off, instead of charging in head-first? It was something Steve didn't understand. The first thing he had learned as a kid was to not question a decision his father had made. End of story. If Danny used his head instead of his mouth, none of them would have to be here.

So Steve just stepped aside when Victor, the older Hesse brother, and classmate of Steve, Wo Fat and Danny in some classes, suddenly came to an abrupt halt and turned around, hands clenched into fists. Danny, not looking up and not noticing that the others had stopped, walked right into Victor. Danny bounced off the taller and sturdier boy, ending up on the ground. He glared at Victor and was on his feet faster than Steve would have given Danny credit for. "What the…" Danny started to rant, but a rough shove from Anton who had taken up position next to his older brother sent him back to the ground again.

Steve watched silently, noticing that Wo Fat withheld, too. On the one hand, Steve was grateful that Victor had ended Danny's constant muttering, but on the other hand he knew he should end this before a real fight broke out. Part of him challenged Danny to get up again, to start the fight, but - to Steve's own surprise - the bigger part of him begged Danny silently to just stay put.

Of course Danny didn't stay down. He bounced to his feet again, hands curled into fists and ready to leap at Victor, when Anton waved something in front of Danny's face. It took Steve some seconds to identify it as Danny's New York Yankees baseball cap, an old, washed out and worn piece.

"Give it back! Give IT BACK! It's mine!" Danny's face was red from anger and he tried to grab it from Anton. Anton - two years younger than the rest of the boys, but nonetheless already taller than Danny - just laughed, took a few steps backwards and tossed the cap to Victor, who caught it and waved with it. When Danny spun around, he tossed it towards Steve.

Steve caught the cap and Danny relaxed slightly when he reached out with one hand. So far, Steve had spent several afternoons with the Williams family who lived across the street from Steve and his father, ate lunch there and was taken under Danny's mother's wing who felt sorry for the semi-orphan. The two boys were a long way from being friends, but they were comfortable in each other's company, at least when no other kid from school was around. So now Steve could clearly see something bordering on relief in Danny's blue eyes as he looked at him. "Please? Can I have it back?"

He should have simply given the cap back to Danny. Later, Steve would blame everything that happened afterwards on himself, him alone. If he had just given back the damn cap!

But, still feeling annoyed and knowing that Wo Fat's dark eyes were glued on him and his reaction, Steve simply tossed the cap back to Victor, not wanting to appear weak. "Give it back to him", Steve muttered. He heard Wo Fat turn and start to walk away, certainly heading towards the cabin, not interested in the childish dispute anymore.

Of course Victor didn't return the cap to Danny. Instead, he tossed it again to Anton, but the younger Hesse brother stumbled as he moved backwards, the cap sailing past his grabbing hands, headed down the hillside, landing about thirty feet down on a ledge. Anton yelped, and only Steve's fast reaction stopped the boy from following the cap over the edge. Anton wrestled himself free from Steve's grip and joined Victor who still laughed.

Danny raced to the edge, and for a second Steve feared that he would simply jump in an attempt to retrieve the cap. "Oh no. _No, no, no_ …" Steve frowned when he heard the desperation in Danny's voice and glared at Victor.

"Great. Are you finished now? Come on, Danny, let's move. It'll soon be dark, and we still have another 30 minutes walk to the cabin."

"No." For a boy who normally expressed his opinion in more than a single word, that answer was alarmingly short. Steve gave an irritated sigh and stepped up to Danny, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, the cap's lost. Was old and ugly, anyway."

"No." Danny shook his head and brushed Steve's hand off. And, to Steve's surprise, Danny's blue eyes were glistening. Was he about to cry? Because of a stupid cap? "It's Billy's cap, and I'm gonna get it back. Fuck off, all of you. Just leave me alone! Fuck off!" He spit the words in the direction of the Hesses, and Victor made a threatening step towards Danny.

Steve hurriedly stepped between the two. "Calm down now, everybody, okay? Who's Billy, Danny, and why is this cap so important? Danny?" Steve turned around and frowned again when he saw that Danny had shrugged off his backpack and had started to climb down the almost vertical hillside, clinging tightly to the scarce vegetation. "Danny, come back. If you can't live without it, I'll get it for you, man, okay?" Steve was a good climber, a natural, as his father had once proudly professed. Danny was not used to the terrain and, as a city-boy, certainly was everything but a climber. And, just to prove Steve's thoughts, Danny's left foot slipped when a small, fist sized rock gave way. Steve held his breath, but Danny gained his footing again.

"No." The word came strained, and the blonde boy looked up. Yes, there were definitely tear marks on his cheeks now. "I hate you! I hate you all! I hate this fucking island, I hate to be here, I hate hiking! _I hate it_! And Billy's none of your business!"

"Danny…" Steve tried again, forcing himself to sound calm and reasonable, only to be interrupted by Victor's gleeful voice.

"Well now look, Anton, the haole's crying like a baby! Boo-hoo, they took my cap! You're such a loser, Williams!"

Steve spun around and opened his mouth when he heard the distinct, ripping sound of a root coming free. He leaped to the edge and watched in horror as the twiggy tree Danny had grabbed for a hold gave way.

Danny screamed, and as he fell he looked up to Steve with eyes blown wide in panic. He didn't fall far, though, only about fifteen feet, although it seemed like an eternity to Steve until Danny's scrawny body hit the ledge upright. The boy shrieked when his right leg couldn't support his weight any longer. Danny toppled over, and in trying to protect his leg landed on his stomach. Steve knew the sound Danny's head made when it hit the ledge would haunt him in his dreams.

" _DANNY!_ " Steve fell to his knees at the edge of the drop, trying to see something. The boy was lying completely motionless, his blonde hair gleaming in the last sunbeams. "We… we have to get help!" Steve turned around and froze.

 *****H50*****

The Hesse brothers were gone.

Steve couldn't believe it. They had really left? What if Danny was dead? What if… Steve moaned and rubbed both hands over his face. What should he do? Panic hit him full strength. There was an urge inside him to simply follow the Hesses, to follow Wo Fat and to pretend that Danny didn't even exist. That nothing had happened. But it _had_ happened, right? And how could he turn his back to the hopefully only injured, not dead, boy? How would he be able to face Clara Williams when they returned without Danny?

" _It is my job to serve and protect. To make the world a safer place for kids like you and your sister, Steve. I am sorry that I missed your game - you know, I always try to come and watch, but sometimes it is just not possible. I can't switch off being a police officer. It runs in my blood."_

Years ago a much younger Steve had been on the brink of tears after his father had missed the most important game of the season. The memory of his father's words washed over Steve like cool water and soothed his tumbling thoughts. ' _It runs in my blood.'_

He drew in a deep breath and blinked when a fat drop of rain hit his face. Just when had the clouds shown up? ' _That's not good.'_ Steve dropped his backpack and cursed under his breath that he hadn't brought a rope with him. They hadn't been supposed to climb, but Steve still blamed himself.

" _Never go into the hills unprepared."_

Again, his father's voice straightened Steve's thoughts as he grabbed the little flashlight and the pocketknife that were at the bottom of the backpack. His hand went to the back pocket of his cargo pants to reach for his phone, but stopped when he remembered that Wo Fat, being the oldest, carried the only phone they had been allowed to take with them. He cursed again, louder this time. Meanwhile, the few fat raindrops had turned into a steady stream of water from darkened clouds, and Steve knew he had to move before the rocks became too wet and slippery to climb down. He stepped to the edge and stared down. "Danny?" The blonde boy still hadn't moved a tad and Steve could no longer wait. Geared up with his flashlight and pocketknife, in the rush forgetting about the backpack, he started to climb down, careful, slow, although every cell in his body itched to move faster to find out if Danny was still alive.

He was more than halfway down when the rain abruptly turned into a deluge. The torrent was enough to keep Steve from seeing either Danny or the ledge. Steve breathed in through his nose and the exhalation turned into a startled explosion when his feet slipped, first his right, then his left, and finally his fingers. Steve cried out and tried to turn around in mid-air like a cat to prevent from landing on his back. All the air was forced out of his lungs when he crash landed on the hard ledge. Whatever air he sucked in was lost again as he cried out when pain shot through his left wrist like white hot fire. Moaning, he rolled to his right side and hissed when the movement hurt his wrist again. Tears sprang to his eyes. He clutched the painful limb against his chest and tried to even out his breath that came in fast, shallow hiccups.

" _When you fall, try not to panic. Do not move around too much. Find out what's hurt, and how severe it is. Then try to get help."_

Steve nodded to his father's words in his mind and made a mental inventory. His legs were good, although his knees felt prickly from the impact, just as his pelvis did. His shoulders ached, too, but he could move them without bigger problems. So it was just his wrist that had been badly injured, and he had a gash on his temple, because his fingers were bloody when he tenderly touched the hurting spot. He dared to move now and grunted when he sat up. He felt a little dizzy, but he didn't believe he had a concussion. Concussions felt way worse, he knew from personal experience, being the star quarterback of the school's team.

"Danny." Steve slowly turned his head, trying to prevent dizzy vision again and gulped. Danny still hadn't moved an inch. What if Danny was dead? He had never seen, let alone _touched_ a dead person before. His mother had been so badly burned in the car accident that his father had not allowed his children to see the charred body, and all Steve remembered from the day of the burial was the coffin as it was slowly lowered into the grave. A sob crawled up in his chest and he was too stressed out, too much in pain to keep it back. "Don't be dead, man, okay?" Steve carefully reached for Danny's thin upper arm and almost flinched when his fingers finally made to feel something, _anything_. Body warmth, a movement… Nothing. Danny's skin felt clammy and wet, and Steve was tottering on the brink of panic again. " _He's dead. He has to be dead. And it's all my fault!"_

" _If you want to feel the pulse of a person, use your fingers to find it. Never use the thumb, because it has its own pulse. There are two places you can find it easily. First is on the inside of your wrist. It's called the radial pulse. Try it! If you don't find it at once, don't give up. Move your fingers a little bit. There! You feel it? Good. Now, the second place is at the side of your neck, underneath your jaw. This is the carotid pulse. Put a little pressure on your fingers until you can feel the pulse. Yes? Good job, Steve."_

Steve bit his lower lip. Danny was lying on his stomach, hands and most of his arms when he had tried to cushion his fall, so Steve moved a little bit forward and reached for Danny's neck. His fingers trembled, and when he couldn't find the pulse right away, another sob escaped his lips. He was soaked to the skin and his wet clothes clung uncomfortably to his body but he kept his fingers on Danny's carotid artery adding increments of pressure until finally, _finally,_ he was rewarded with a _thump... thump_ beneath his fingertips.

Relief washed through his body and made his vision turn grey for the fraction of a second. He started breathing again, hadn't even realized that he had stopped doing so before his lungs started to tingle. "Okay… okay, that's good. That's good. I'm going to check for other injuries now to find out where you're hurt, Danny, okay? I try to be careful." Steve compressed his lips and slowly felt for injuries along the boy's limp body. Nothing seemed to be broken but Danny's right knee looked strange, the leg bent and turned outwards. It was swollen, Steve could see that through the soaked jeans and wondered if he should just cut them open to get a better look at the injury. He would use the money he originally planned on spending for the season finals tickets to replace Danny's pants if his parents were upset about what he was going to do.

" _Keep it together. You're a McGarrett. We eat ore and spit nails!"_ The mantra his father had hammered into his head from a very young age on grazed his thoughts.

"You can do this. You can get out of this. And Danny, too. Wo Fat is certainly already looking out for you." There was no one to hear him, but talking out loud helped in calming Steve down. He nodded to himself, curling his good hand into a fist and uncurling it again and again in a fast rhythm.

"Okay. First things first." Steve put his right hand on Danny's shoulder, grounding himself with the touch, keeping his mind on the task at hand. "I'll take a closer look at your knee. Then we have to get you out of the rain. And then I'll try to climb up again." He pushed the thought about how he was going to reach the top with a broken wrist aside. ' _First things first.'_

"Wha…" Danny's muffled and pained voice disrupted Steve's thoughts and made him jump. "Wha'pp'nd?" And sure, the blonde moved, tried to push himself up. Steve tightened his light grip on Danny's shoulder. "Easy, man, you fell pretty hard. I'll turn you over now, but I need your help, too. Over there is an overhanging rock where you'll be out of the rain."

"Knee… hurts…" Danny lifted his head and tried to see Steve, but when he wanted to turn his face to him he winced in pain. "Head… too."

"Uh." Steve stared at Danny. Blood, slowly streaming down from a nasty wound at his hairline, was mixed with water and dirt and clung to the right side of his face. Steve gulped and tried to think. "Yeah, guess you banged your knee up pretty bad. And you stopped your fall with your face." He didn't know why the urge to laugh out loud was bubbling in his chest, but with all the strength he had he bit it back. "We have to get you out of the rain", he then repeated. "Can you move? Can you turn over?"

Danny nodded weakly and blinked, then pushed his upper body up and moaned. "My head's gonna explode."

"I think you have a concussion, but you're not gonna die of it", Steve answered with a quiet voice and tried to sound confident. He reached out when Danny tried to turn over, crying out when the movement jostled his injured knee. "Wait…!" But Danny kept pushing his body over and dragged his injured leg inwards until he finally could sit up. A soft _pop_ was almost drowned by the sound of the pouring rain when the dislocated kneecap slid back into place. "Oh no…" Danny gaped at the swelling knee, clearly visible under the wet jeans. "This is not good, right?" His wide open eyes slid to Steve and his breath quickened. He blinked and looked down when the rain poured into his unshielded eyes.

Steve fiddled around, brushed over his wet clothes with his right hand. He inhaled deeply, winced when that hurt in his shoulders and pulled out his pocket knife. "I'll pay for the pants, okay? But we have to take a look at it." He cut Danny's pants carefully open just around the knee, trying to ignore the small gasps of pain from Danny.

"Uh. That's not good, pal, actually." Steve sucked his lower lip in and chewed on it thoughtfully. The knee was double its normal size and already starting to bruise. "I guess the kneecap might have been dislocated", he informed Danny and winced sympathetically when he remembered how loud Charlie Fong had screamed when that had happened to his teammate last year during physical training. Steve's shoulders sagged and he felt the sting of tears caused by the feeling of helplessness. He took a long, shaky breath and rubbed his eyes awkwardly with his right fist.

"Relax, okay? It's just… just dislocated, okay? Try to stay calm." Steve blinked and tore his eyes off Danny's knee when he heard small sobs coming from Danny. He had to stay calm, composed, for his own sake and for Danny's. They had found out at the very first afternoon Steve had stayed at the Williamses' house that Danny was some hours older than Steve, but now he was hurt and Steve was the only one that could get them help. So he was in charge, technically speaking. "Can you get up?"

Danny shook his head, his features contorted by the pain. "No-o. Where are the others?"

"Uh, they are getting help", Steve said, only speaking half of the sentence out loud: ' _I think.'_ "Okay, I'll try to drag you over there." He motioned to the small cave and positioned himself behind Danny before the other boy could object. Steve breathed in deeply and wrapped his good right arm around Danny's chest under his arms. "You have to push with your left leg; can you do that for me?"

Steve blamed the amount of pain Danny was in on the fact that the boy didn't object at all and just obeyed when Steve began to drag him towards the cave. It was easier than he thought; although Danny's shoulders were a bit broader than his - much to Steve's disdain - he was almost four inches shorter and weighed about 20 pounds less than Steve. Tears were streaming down Danny's face by the time they had crossed the few steps to the cave, and he cried out softly when Steve finally lowered him at the back of the cave. The cave was so small that Danny's feet still got wet, but at least most of him was out of the rain. Steve crouched next to Danny, and patted his pockets for the flashlight.

"What are you doing?" Danny's voice sounded strained, and Steve put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He pulled the flashlight out of his pocket and turned it on. He tried to smile at Danny, but from the look on the other boy's face he knew he failed miserably in comforting him.

"I'm going to wedge the flashlight between some rocks and make it point upwards, so when help comes, they can locate us faster." Steve nodded, confident with his plan.

"If help is coming." Danny stared at Steve with glassy eyes. He screwed them up when Steve pointed with the flashlight at him.

"Of course help is coming", Steve retorted sharper than intended and regretted his tone instantly when Danny winced. He frowned, pointing the light at Danny's eyes again. The pupils were dilated, the right one wider than the left one, and Steve bit his lower lip. That was not a good sign, he knew. That meant that Danny definitely had a concussion. "Just stay awake until I'm back, okay?" He tucked the flashlight between his teeth and started to crawl one-handed into the rain when he felt an ice cold hand at his ankle.

"Please… can you stay?"

Steve stopped and frowned at Danny's shaky voice. He mumbled around the flashlight. "I'm not leaving. I'm just gonna get the light on and be back before you notice that I'm gone."

"Okay." Danny let go of him and Steve crawled forward. "But please come back, Billy." Steve felt his stomach twist and moved faster, suddenly in the suffocating grip of another panic attack. Danny's voice was weak and drifted off, but he had clearly said _Billy_. Who was that mysterious Billy? Steve knew about Danny's two sisters and his baby brother Matty, but he had never mentioned a cousin or a friend named Billy. Steve jumped to his feet when he was clear and pulled the flashlight out of his mouth. His breath was coming in loud, shallow puffs, and he threw a frightened glance back to where Danny was sitting. Never before in his life had he wished more for his father to be at his side, to take the responsibility off his shoulders and to get them out of here. He closed his eyes and turned his face upwards, welcomed the spraying rain that hit his skin and helped him clear his mind. It had to do with Danny's concussion, he decided, and he had no reason to be afraid of the other boy.

Steve lowered his head again and searched the ground for the right place to position the flashlight. He made a few steps, then squatted down, and pushed the bottom of the light into a gap in the ground. The rain was ceasing by now. Steve could see the upper edge from where they had climbed down in the light beam. Good, that was good. That meant that whoever passed that place would see the light, too. Steve sighed, relieved, and turned when something caught his attention. He bowed down and grabbed it, coming up with the soaked baseball cap that was the reason they were stuck on the ledge. Steve clenched his fingers around it and was about to hurl it further down in anger when he changed his mind. Instead he wrung out the cap and went back to the little cave.

Danny had moved, was lying flat on his back now, right leg slightly bent at the swollen knee, his eyes open but unfocused. "Hey, see, I'm not leaving", Steve said softly and placed the cap on Danny's stomach. "Found something. Belongs to you, I think."

The injured boy blinked and slowly turned his head towards Steve. The wound at his hairline had stopped bleeding, Steve noticed. "Nah, Steve, it belongs to Billy", Danny answered and Steve bit his lip, so relieved that Danny sounded normal again that he barely bit back a sob.

"Anyway, I got it. So don't drop it again, will you?" He tried to quip to distract Danny from the pain. Danny didn't answer, just gripped the cap tightly and pressed it against his chest as if it anchored him. Steve sat down next to him, knees pulled up to his chin and closed his eyes. All they could do now was wait - for the rain to stop, for help to come.

 *****H50*****

 _ **McGarrett's house and HPD, Honolulu**_

John McGarrett, a resolute and upright man in his early fifties, could move heaven and earth when it came to his son and the possibility of danger.

John had studied the sky hours earlier and having lived his whole life on the islands, he knew it was probably going to rain the whole day, probably even during the night. With the reassuring professionalism he had gained over the years as a police officer he had calmed down an anxious Clara Williams who wondered aloud if they should not go and bring the boys back home. "It's okay for boys to get wet and dirty, sometimes", he had explained to her. He had laid a hand on her back when he escorted her back to her house. She seemed as fidgety and unpredictable as her elder son, Danny, with the same sparkling blue eyes and the fair hair, but eventually John's serenity enveloped her, and she gave him a radiant smile.

"You know, after what happened last year with his friend Billy, I'm glad he found a new friend in Steve", she had confided. "Danny used to be popular with the kids in school, but since... Billy… and our relocation to Hawaii he seemed so - different. Changed. There's so much wrath in him. I can't explain it." She shrugged and threw another smile at John. "You are sure you don't want to come in and have a cup of coffee?"

John had politely declined that; the thought was compelling, but he was not sure he could handle a happy family gathering yet, to see Mrs. Williams and her husband interact. Doris had been gone for almost a year, but he still missed her. He missed her smile, her laughter, her touch, the sound of her voice. John knew he was selfish by keeping Steve by his side and not sending him away with little Mary, but he couldn't - just _couldn't_ \- lose all of them. Steve was old enough to stay at home alone when John had to work, and he was someone John could talk to when he came home. Selfish? Yeah, pretty much.

He was back at his desk in HPD when he got the phone call from Wo Fat. The connection was poor, Wo Fat's voice was breaking up in the receiver. But John had understood the gravity of the situation at once. He went to Captain Meka Hanamoa. "Four boys are missing. Wo Fat left them arguing, relying on them to join him at the campsite. That was three hours ago. But none appeared. So I need every available officer to search for Anton and Victor Hesse, Daniel Williams - and Steve, my son."

 *****H50*****

 _ **On the ledge, Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve**_

Steve awoke with a jolt when something hit his broken wrist. He cried out and tore the sore limb away from Danny's flailing hand that tried to grab it. "Hey-", Steve angrily started, but stopped when he heard the distressed sounds Danny made. The boy's eyes were opened to slits, still unfocused, and now Steve could understand the words that tumbled out of Danny's mouth.

"Can't… I can't…. don't - Billy, _NO_!" The last word was screamed, loud and clear, and Danny bolted up, crying out loud again when that movement made his head and the pain in his knee sting. He stared at Steve, breathing in shallow, short breaths, his eyes wide open now.

Still cradling his wrist, anger suddenly gone, Steve muttered soothing words. "Hey, you must've been dreaming, everything's okay, help is on the way… Calm down, man, calm down!" He could feel his own heartbeat thrumming way too fast from that sudden disturbance and pushed some loose strands of still wet hair out of Danny's face. He remembered his mother doing the same to him when he was feverish as a kid, and it seemed to calm Danny now, too. He sunk back, eyes still open and turned his head to Steve.

"Billy?"

Steve's throat constricted. "No, I'm not Billy, I'm Steve - Steve McGarrett, you remember? I live across the street from where you live now." He put his good hand on Danny's shoulder, trying to steady himself as much as he tried to comfort Danny. Steve was relieved when Danny's stare softened and the other boy finally nodded. He wanted to say something, but then frowned.

"Bad joke, Billy, really. Man, I'm so glad to see you. Thought you were gone..." Danny's words trailed off, his eyes falling shut again.

Steve shifted awkwardly. "No, hey, Danny. Stay awake!" Danny's eyes fluttered open. Although the words had frightened Steve, he knew that he had to keep Danny awake. The concussion had worsened, he guessed, and he was more afraid that Danny could fall in a coma or worse when he became unconscious than of his confused murmuring when he was awake. Besides, he didn't want to be alone. Not now. So he poked Danny in the arm and prodded him on a constant basis to prevent the blue eyes from closing again. He even allowed Danny to call him _Billy_ and was surprised how happy and relaxed Danny suddenly sounded. Steve couldn't help but feel a little bit envious of this _Billy._ From Danny's confused, incoherent words he assumed that Billy had been a good - very good - friend of Danny, and that he had gone? Moved away? Steve wondered for a moment if that was the reason why Danny was so unapproachable and snarky to the kids at school. Sympathy welled up in him. Losing a person that was close was the hardest thing Steve could imagine, having experienced that himself with the death of his mother.

"Everything's gonna be fine", he murmured and curled his fingers around Danny's arm, returning the other boy's feeble smile with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. It was raining lightly, and no help was in sight.

 *****H50*****

 _ **On the trail and at the cabin, Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve**_

John had taken Chin Ho Kelly with him, the very young new officer fresh from police school that had been assigned as his new partner merely two weeks ago and Tom Fryer, a sturdy Lieutenant Detective who knew the hills like the back of his hand. They were the fast vanguard, slowly followed by another six officers, and two medics that each carried a transportable stretcher with them as well as first-aid equipment. John had silently prayed that they wouldn't need any of this, but the more time passed, the more agitated he became. Steve was reliable. He never would have gone astray if not for a very good reason, and the only reason John's mind could think of was that one of the other boys, or worse yet, more than one of the others, was injured. And even in this case Steve would have still tried to contact Wo Fat to call for help. At this point John had forced his mind to concentrate back on the trail, because that thought would have led to only one conclusion: Steve was either the injured one – or worse.

About an hour later the three officers arrived at the campsite where a visibly relieved Wo Fat greeted them. He had stayed there as he had been ordered to. John hadn't wanted to take the risk and lose Wo Fat, too, the only one who could bring them to the place where the group had split up. The rain had begun to stop as well. Captain Hanamoa had informed them that the helicopter was on standby if they needed it.

"All right, boy, calm down." John patted Wo Fat's shoulder and noticed the guilty look in his eyes. "I want you to tell me what happened and why you split up." Wo Fat was barely wet since he had succeeded in reaching the cabin before the rain set in.

"I thought they were right behind me. I thought that they would follow!" Wo Fat blurted out, eyes now darting from one officer to the other, obviously feeling uncomfortable with the concentrated attention.

"Easy, easy." John's voice was soothing now and he put both hands on Wo Fat's shoulders, gently turning the boy's head towards him. "Look at me. What happened? Why did you leave?"

Wo Fat took a deep breath. "They were arguing…" he began, keeping his eyes on John. "Danny's been talking the whole damn way and just couldn't keep his mouth shut. I chose another trail for us up here, because I was so annoyed by Danny and hoped he would eventually shut up when the trail would become more difficult. But he didn't. So… Victor had enough and wanted to make him shut up, too. He and Anton got hold on Danny's baseball cap and tossed it around a bit. It was completely harmless, really! Just a little prank… And when Steve joined in I turned around and left, because I was sure Steve would end it and that they would follow me. He knows the way, he said he had been here before with you, Officer McGarrett."

John frowned when Wo Fat talked about Steve's part in the episode. He had raised Steve to be fair with other kids and not take advantage of smaller ones. When Wo Fat finished, he sighed inwardly. No matter what Mrs. Williams had stated earlier, he didn't believe that Steve and Danny were already "friends". Teenagers were strange these days, more complicated then when he had been a kid, it seemed to John. Steve had talked about Danny and the Williamses when John prodded, but always in a neutral voice. But still: Steve wouldn't have bugged Danny, John was sure.

Wo Fat shifted uneasily under John's hands, and John moved one to pat the boy's back. "Okay. Show us where you left them! About you choosing another trail up here – we will talk later about that."

 *****H50*****

 _ **On the ledge, Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve**_

The retching sound and the stale smell of Danny's obviously large breakfast made Steve feel sick, too. He held his nose and tried to breathe through his mouth, turning his eyes away from Danny. When it finally ended, Steve was startled by a cold hand on his arm. "Please… 'm thirsty…" Steve sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I got nothing", he said gloomy and shrugged. "It's all up there, in our backpacks. Food, water… everything." He sighed again and stared at the cap. Anger welled up in him. "And we? We are stuck here because of this damn cap!" Steve tore it out of Danny's limp hands and smashed it against the ground. Danny winced and stared at Steve with wide, glassy blue eyes. "What's so important about this fucking piece of trash anyway, huh? What?!"

"You said I could keep it till the end of the summer", Danny said, in such a soft voice that Steve almost didn't understand the words. "It's my turn… you can have it back for the next school year…" His voice trailed off, and his eyes closed slowly.

Steve blinked. "Danny?" He shook the smaller boy, but Danny didn't answer. "Danny?!" Steve crawled out of the cave as fast as he could, kicking the cap away with his struggling foot as he scrambled to finally get outside. The rain had completely stopped, but every breath still felt heavy and damp. Steve paced back and forth, feeling more and more desperate with each passing minute. He felt sick, shaking from the inside out. The last time he had felt this bad was when his father had told him about his mother's death. As he stared at his discolored wrist, he let out a despaired moan. He hadn't been able to save his mother; he hadn't been able to change or stop what had happened then. But now - Steve almost ran to the cave and grabbed the cap, pushing it with force into the back pocket of his jeans. He went to the hillside he had climbed down earlier and grabbed a hand hold with his good hand. He looked up and tried to see through the darkness where to put his feet. Steve screamed in rage and frustration, when he couldn't get higher without giving up his hand hold.

Something hit his head, and at the same time he heard an all-too-familiar voice call his name. "Steve?!"

His head whipped up into the darkness and he screwed his eyes up when a flashlight blinded him. "Dad?" Relief flooded his body, made his limbs go limp and he unceremoniously landed on his butt, clattering his teeth. It was only then that he realized that it was the end of a rope that had hit him on the head. He started laughing, softly first, then, as he started to recognize the sturdy, strong body of his father in the flashlight from above his laughter became louder, more hysterical, until he was crying and laughing at the same time.

"Steve, boy, are you alright?"

Steve blinked dumbly at his father, whose face was now almost too close for comfort in his field of vision, and leaned into the warm, calloused hand he suddenly felt against his cold cheek.

"Steve, answer me!"

Steve automatically nodded when he heard the strict sound of his father's voice and pulled himself together. "Y-yes, I'm fine… my wrist… it hurts, maybe broken", he reported as his father had drilled into him. "B-but D-danny, he's worse… he thinks I'm Billy and his k-knee is looking really b-bad." He tried to sound strong, to sound reasonable, but when he lifted his eyes and met the worried look in his father's eyes, he noticed that he had sobbed the words out and was shaking badly. Strange, he hadn't felt cold before?

"I need the stretchers here, fast! And blankets - get the medics down here! And call the chopper for a pickup!" John bellowed the orders and pushed Steve gently down until he laid on his back. He shrugged out of his jacket and tugged it over Steve's chest, carefully avoiding the obviously broken wrist. "Everything's gonna be alright now, Steve", he murmured soothing, kneeling down and pulling Steve's ankles up into his lap. Steve was in shock, and until the medics were here this was all he could do. "We're taking care of you and of Danny. Don't worry. We're here. We saw the beacon you made for us. That was a very good idea, Steve. It helped us find you." John didn't try to hide the pride in his voice. He had been desperate when Fryer had noted that it was too dark to see, let alone find a missing person in the thick undergrowth, although Wo Fat had found the place he had left the other boys pretty fast. And then they saw the beam of Steve's flashlight from below.

Not wanting to push Steve further, he knew that it probably wasn't the right time to ask this question, but he had to pose it: "What about the Hesse's, Steve? Are they here, too? Or are they…" His eyes drifted off to the edge and back to Steve's.

"N-no, they left… they left us…" Steve had stopped sobbing and tore his eyes away from his father when the other men came down the hillside. "Danny, he's… he's in there", he motioned with his good hand and shook his head when the medic that was now kneeling next to him tried to take a look at his broken wrist. "F-first Danny, he's worse."

"He's taken care of", the man said in a friendly voice and insisted. "Hi, I'm Mark. Please show me your hand now."

It didn't take long for the experienced paramedics to wrap Steve's broken wrist as well as Danny's injured knee. The boys were pulled up on the stretchers and carried into the cabin area just as the helicopter landed. Talk about good timing!

Steve's head was light from the pain medication the medics had given him and he smiled lopsided at Wo Fat who seemed relieved that the officers had found them. Wo Fat stayed in the background away from Steve and Danny and watched the bustling activity to secure the injured boys inside the helicopter.

When it finally took off again with Steve, Danny and the two medics on board, John placed a heavy hand on Wo Fat's shoulder. "You go back down with Officer Kelly and -" He never finished the sentence when he heard something - someone - in the underbrush behind them. He spun around, one hand ready at his gun, when he recognized them.

Anton and Victor Hesse stumbled forward, arms and faces dirty, scratched and bloody from twigs and thorns, eyes wide. "There you are!" Victor screamed and bolted forward, looking around and then up to the disappearing helicopter. "We were looking for help, but we got lost! Wo Fat just left us behind!" He pointed accusingly at Wo Fat and pulled Anton closer to himself as if in search for support. Anton simply nodded.

"Hmm." John looked from one boy to the other, taking in Wo Fat's surprise and guilt, as well as Victor's triumphant smile, and Anton's dropped gaze. ' _Hmmm.'_ "We should discuss that issue later. Tomorrow. First, we'll have to get you all back down to your parents. You can stay with me if you don't want to stay alone at home." He nodded to Wo Fat who squared his shoulders and shook his head in refusal. "Well then, let's get moving." ' _And get me back home to Steve.'_

 *****H50*****

 _ **Honolulu Medical Center**_

Steve opened his eyes when he heard the faint knock on the door. He was lying comfortably propped up in the hospital bed, his casted arm casually draped over his chest. His father was in the hospital cantina, getting a meal and would be back later.

"Steve, thank God you're alive! I was so worried about you all!" Clara Williams burst through the door, barely waiting for him to answer the knock. She embraced him carefully, even placed a kiss on top of his head before she scrutinized him. "Oh dear, I'm so sorry I agreed to let you go all alone!"

Eddie Williams, husband to Clara and father of Danny, still wearing his firefighting gear, peeked over Clara's shoulder and gave Steve an affectionate pat on the cheek. "Good to have you back!"

Steve frowned, feeling flattered and worried at the same time that they had chosen to visit him, not Danny. The helicopter had landed some hours ago on the roof of Honolulu Medical Center, and Steve had been separated from Danny. "How… why are you not… where's Danny? Is he okay?" His heart raced, while his mind played worst case scenarios.

Clara caressed Steve's cheek and sighed. "Yes, Danny's gonna be okay. He's on heavy pain medication right now and sleeping. The doctors think the ACL in his right knee was torn because of his fall, but they can only examine it properly once the swelling is gone. He will have to stay here in the hospital for some days, though, and most certainly needs surgery, and I still don't know how to break this news to him." She laughed, and sounded so calm and relaxed that Steve breathed deeply and leaned back into the pillows.

"What is that?" Clara stared at something in Steve's hand that he had forgotten he had grabbed as soon as the nurses had brought his clothes into his room. He looked down, shrugged, and handed it to the woman.

"That's Danny's cap. The reason why everything happened." Steve made a face. "He said it belongs to Billy, and I really, really hope that this Billy is grateful that he can have it back after the summer. I really don't want to see it anymore. Perhaps you could call Billy and let him talk to Danny? I'm sure that would make him happy." He held the cap out to Clara, who slowly took it. And, much to Steve's surprise, her eyes were suddenly red and wet when she finally looked into his eyes again.

"Oh, honey… That's… that's right, that was Billy's cap. But Danny won't be able to give it back." She swallowed visibly and exchanged a glance with Eddie who had put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently, summoning her to continue. "Billy was Danny's best friend since pre-school. He lived a few blocks down the street, and we knew his parents didn't have the means, so…" She shrugged, gesturing weakly. "So we used to take him with us on our summer vacation. But last summer, last summer… something terrible happened, an accident - Billy and Danny were swimming in the ocean as they had done every vacation, and then… Billy drowned." Tears were flowing down over her cheeks now and Eddie leaned forward to kiss her on the temple.

"Billy is dead, Steve."

 *****H50*****

 _ **Some days later - Honolulu Medical Center**_

The skin under the cast itched like hell, but Steve bravely fought the urge to try and scratch it. He knew he wouldn't reach the itching point with his fingers anyway, and carrying one of his mother's knitting needles with him was beneath his dignity. He had been released after just one night in Honolulu Medical Center, where they had put his wrist in a cast. They had told him that he was lucky - it was a clean fracture that didn't need to be set, but he had to wear the cast for six whole weeks and would miss the beginning of the football team's summer training. And worst - since it was his left hand and not his right one, he still had to go to school.

Great. Just great.

His father had interviewed him about what had happened as if he had been a suspect. Steve had admitted that it was all his fault. He should have given back the cap and not left it to Victor to end the fight, especially since Steve knew Victor hadn't wanted to stop bullying Danny. His father had grounded him on this confession until further notice. Steve didn't know what or if his father had told the Williamses or Wo Fat's and the Hesse brothers' father, but Mrs. Williams had been as nice as always the next day.

Steve knocked gently at the door that was ajar and peeked through the gap.

"Come in!"

He entered and suddenly felt a bit stupid with the bag of fresh malasadas that was hanging on his casted arm. He awkwardly shook it off and held it out to Danny, shrugging. "Your mom said you love them."

Danny squinted at the bag and made a fatalistic huff. "I can't move, so you'll have to come closer." He gestured disgustedly at his heavily bandaged knee that was secured in an additional brace and propped up in a special device to keep the blood circulating in his foot. Although his face was still a little bit pale and the wound at his hairline a vivid red, he seemed to burst with unspent energy. Tipped back on his head he wore Billy's cap.

Steve stepped closer and dropped the bag on the mussed up blanket that only seemed to stay on Danny's bed by sheer will, actually fighting every law of gravity that Steve had ever heard about. Danny could barely move in his bed, so how had he accomplished that? Steve realized that there were still a zillion things to learn about Danny Williams.

"Donuts!" Danny cried out enthusiastic and stuffed one piece of pastry into his mouth, smearing the powder over his face, his shirt and the blanket. His face beamed with delight as he munched down the second one.

Steve huffed. "They're called malasadas", he corrected the other boy and blinked. How fast could Danny eat? Was that really already the third malasada in his hand now?

"I know", Danny mouthed around the pastry and smacked his lips. "But I just can't remember the word and they are the best equivalent to a donut here in Hawaii."

Steve decided to drop the subject and pointed at Danny's head. "Your mother did a good job in cleaning it", he said after a long moment. He watched when the powder-free hand of Danny unconsciously went up to feel for the cap. "I know now why the cap is so important to you. She told me about Billy."

An emotion crossed Danny's face that Steve couldn't decipher. Danny cleared his throat and stared at his hands, the half-eaten fourth malasada forgotten. "He's dead." He finally simply said and still didn't look up.

Out of an instinct, Steve laid his good hand on Danny's shoulder. "Hey, I know exactly how you feel." He could feel the other boy tense under his touch, and then relax again. And finally Danny lifted his eyes to lock them with Steve's.

"I guess I have to apologize… I…" Danny rubbed the back of his head, unsure of how to go on. Steve waited patiently. "What I said there wasn't exactly nice, so… I'm sorry."

Steve shrugged and gave Danny a crooked smile. "It was definitely not nice. But it was honest. And… maybe… I can show you that some things, like, feelings towards a place, can change? I'd love to help you find out that not everything about Hawaii is so despicable!"

When Danny shyly smiled, it felt as if a heavy burden was lifted off of Steve's shoulders. No, the world would never be the same for him without his mother. Nor would it be for Danny without Billy. But together, perhaps they could start to make the world worth living in again.


End file.
